


Index #124

by EvilMuffins



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Angst, Ficlet Collection, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2019-06-06 01:05:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15183368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvilMuffins/pseuds/EvilMuffins
Summary: “Hey now,” Akechi put his hands up in mock defense. “You make it sound as if I’m the criminal here.”Yusuke let out a sigh, in no mood for Akechi’s show of innocence after so many secrets had long since come to light. “What brings you here on this evening?”How long had it been?Too long, far too long since he had last set eyes on red eyes twinkling with secrets to divulge, set above smug lips, gleefully refusing.---A collection of Akekita prompt fics.





	1. Lies

**Author's Note:**

> The tale of The Fox and the Crow is listed as fable #124 in the Aesopica index.  
> \---
> 
> The prompt for this one was 'kiss as a lie'. I don't think I really hit the prompt tho :v  
> While this short contains character death, the next does not, if you'd prefer to skip ahead!

“Ah, Yusuke!” Akechi smiled cheerfully, placing aside the book he had been leafing through. “It certainly has been a while.”

“Since you last broke into Leblanc after hours?” Yusuke asked, sliding into the booth across from where Akechi sat, suddenly glad for the dim lighting, a result of Akira only leaving enough lights on for security when closing up for the night. Having his one-time enemy refer to him by anything other than his surname still took Yusuke off guard at times.

“Hey now,” Akechi put his hands up in mock defense. “You make it sound as if I’m the criminal here.”

Yusuke let out a sigh, in no mood for Akechi’s show of innocence after so many secrets had long since come to light. “What brings you here on this evening?”

_How long has it been?_

Too long, far too long since he had last set eyes on red eyes twinkling with secrets to divulge, set above smug lips, gleefully refusing.

Goro Akechi was still the same as ever.

The notion settled heavily in the pit of Yusuke’s stomach, bringing him to glance wistfully over toward the counter, wishing it were possible to brew up a cup of Leblanc’s house blend in the hopes of washing it down.

He should be savoring this moment, right down to the dregs.

“Maybe I just needed a little company, maybe the smell of coffee helps me to think, who can say?”

_Certainly not you...  
_

Akechi continued, eager to switch the focus as he laced his fingers together, elbows on the table as he rested his chin. “So tell me, Yusuke, what have you been up to?”

“College is proceeding well enough.”

_I'm not here to talk about myself._

“I have another exhibition coming up. I’d,” Yusuke brushed a stray hair behind his ear, “I’d appreciate the pleasure of your company, if you wouldn’t be adverse to it.”

_Speak, I implore you_

_I wish to hear your voice, just once more._

“Alright,” Akechi replied brightly, “It’s a date. I mean, who am I to refuse an invitation from the artist himself?”

_A date which will never occur._

Abruptly, Yusuke stood from the booth, boot heels clicking in the silence of the otherwise empty café. Crossing to Akechi’s side of the booth, Yusuke braced a hand on the back of it, drinking in the former-detective’s questioning gaze staring up at him.

“ _Goro,”_ He whispered, the name still ringing foreign on lips that now eagerly tasted those of its owner.

Tail twitching once, twice, a gloved hand sliding into his pocket, Yusuke tapped at the small screen waiting inside, the icon's placement now so terribly familiar, there was no need for it to be seen. 

* * *

 

“That was fast,” Akira remarked after Yusuke had stepped out of thin air and into his living room.

Yusuke allowed himself a moment to breathe before answering. The cognitive air had been so still, cloying with artificial nostalgia. “Thank you for allowing me the use of your palace.”

Akira snorted wryly, crossing his arms. “At least it was good for something. …So how was he?”

Yusuke knew the rest of the question lay unspoken.- ‘ _Do I remember him the way you want me to?’_

“He…” Yusuke averted his eyes, searching the city skyline sprawling in wait outside of the window for an answer. Akira's current apartment was nothing short of palatial, with a view to show for it. After selling out to the God of Control so long ago, it seemed anything was now within their grasp. “He was well.”

Even so, there was one thing that Yusuke knew for certain- that no amount of money or power could truly bring back what had been lost. _  
_

 

 


	2. Comfort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This short takes place in the same universe as my multi-chapter, Aesopica, in which Yusuke is living in Akechi's apartment as a sort-of-boyfriend-but-not-really (it's complicated). 
> 
> tbh, I can't for the life of me remember if something similar already happened in Aesopica or not because I don't feel like combing through 10k to check :')
> 
> Prompt- 'kiss as comfort'

Yusuke had grown accustomed to being awoken unceremoniously at odd hours.

During his youth- including up until not long before meeting the Phantom Thieves- Madarame would often pound on his bedroom door in the early hours of the morning, before the sun had even risen enough to prove the bedside clock's assertions correct. Prone to sudden bursts of inspiration with no mind to the health of his young charge, Madarame would demand Yusuke begin work on his new piece right then and there, often without being spared a break for anything so frivolous as a morning meal.

Even so, being jostled awake by a bony knee jabbing into the backs of his knees during the wee hours was still more than somewhat disorienting. Pushing aside the veil of sleep enrobing his mind, Yusuke blinked a time or two, attempting to process the bedroom wall he faced while laying on his side. The hotel-like décor- so devoid of any nod to the actual personality lying coiled away inside of its owner- certainly did not belong to that of Yusuke’s dorm back at Kousei.

Yet another night had gone by inside of Akechi’s sparse apartment, nestled beside the traitor in a bed never meant for two.

Finding it too early to rouse himself for school, Yusuke allowed his eyes to fall shut once again, only to be disturbed further by a sharp exhalation of air from the other side of the bed. The pair of knees only continued to dig into his own legs further, as a set of elbows and forearms joined them, pressed against his back. Another noise soon followed, low and soft, just slightly off the mark from being labeled a groan- _a mewl, perhaps?_ Yusuke mused, in his muzzy state.

Slowly, Yusuke began to extricate himself, taking care not to wake his restless bedmate as he turned over to face Akechi.

Perpetually pleasant features now twisted into a pained grimace as the boy curled in on himself at the sudden loss Yusuke’s comforting warmth.

Alarmed, Yusuke sat up further, rubbing the final vestiges of sleep from his eyes. _Was he in pain?_ Yusuke tried to think back to the previous day, if anything out of the ordinary had happened. It wasn’t as if Akechi had had time to venture into the Metaverse on his own, seeing as Yusuke had been with him most of the day. The Metaverse… That had to be it- much like the denizens of the cognitive world, Akechi was trapped in some hell of his mind's own making. A nightmare.

Tentatively, Yusuke reached out a hand, placing it lightly against Akechi’s temple. Although he had little experience with comforting others –or being on the receiving end of such mollifying actions, for that matter- the action felt oddly natural as he began to stroke the top of Akechi’s head, marveling once again at how soft his hair was. Of course, Yusuke had threaded his fingers into it before, during more heated moments between them, but his mind had been centered on other sensations then. Now, he could focus on the feeling of the fine strands between his fingers. As he continued to do so, Akechi’s handsome features began to visibly relax, lips parting in an inviting sigh as the crease between his brows began to melt.

Over all, the effect was entirely too tempting, like a blank canvas waiting for the kiss of a brush. Emboldened by a new-found pride in his soothing skills, Yusuke leaned in, brushing a gentle kiss against Akechi’s lips before settling back in under the covers beside him.

 

 


End file.
